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Technology hub: Photonic qubits

Quantum information carried by single photons or squeezed light in optical circuits.

Pillar
Quantum computing and simulation
Related codes
Axis in the faceted taxonomy
Physical platform: Photonic qubits (draft — to be completed by the responsible team)
Validation
Proposed — not yet validated by an expert
Sources of the definition
2 sources

72 confirmed items. Including suggestions by rules or AI, not yet reviewed: 93. Suggestions are counted, not listed.

At a glance

Key items: EU and national projects

  1. EPIQUE: European Photonic Quantum Computer CORDIS; EU contribution (maximum grant agreed) EUR 10,340,741.50
  2. PHOTONIQC: A Photonic Quantum Computer CORDIS; EU contribution (maximum grant agreed) EUR 4,650,022.80
  3. QCEED: Quantum Dot coupling engineering (and dynamic spin decoupling/deep nuclei cooling): 2-dimensional cluster state generation for quantum information processing CORDIS; EU contribution (maximum grant agreed) EUR 3,013,180

Key items: Organisations and companies

  1. Lunds Universitet Organisation
  2. Single Quantum BV Organisation Company brief for investors: Single Quantum BV
  3. Universita degli Studi di Firenze Organisation

The technology atlas and the full lists follow; every section is listed under “Sections of this hub page”.

Photonic qubits is a technology family of Quantum computing and simulation, highlighted with its area and its parts tree subsystems; every node opens its page. Open the full taxonomy map

Overview

The technology atlas of Photonic qubits: its value chain, the documented actors by role, facilities, funding, patents and publications, standards and policy measures on one page, each from a source the portal already publishes. Each section says whether these sources document the technology, show an evidence gap or hold nothing about it.

The atlas at a glance: state and number of records per section
SectionState in these sourcesRecords
Value chainDocumented in these sources13
Actors by roleDocumented in these sources68
Facilities and accessDocumented in these sources4
FundingDocumented in these sources5
Patents and publicationsDocumented in these sources2
StandardsDocumented in these sources13
Policy measuresDocumented in these sources6
Evidence gapsEvidence gap in these sources3
  • Documented in these sources: at least one record of these sources is about this technology.
  • Evidence gap in these sources: the parts tree names a stage, but no documented European actor is linked to it here. Evidence gap in these sources, not a finding of dependency.
  • No evidence found in these sources: No evidence found in these sources. It means only that these sources hold nothing on it.

Public layer: structure and documented actors only. Actor roles come from typed, dated relationships and are never inferred from shared projects or patents. Supplier assessments of the restricted dependency map are not shown on this public page. No technology readiness level is given.

External context: EPO Observatory: quantum technologies · EPO Deep Tech Finder

Value chain

The stages of this technology in the parts tree, a reference structure from review articles and EU law, with the European companies whose own product page names a product line for the stage or a part under it (the curated supplier directory).

Documented in these sources: 13 stages; 3 stages with an evidence gap.

Photonic

Value chain of Photonic: stages, materials and documented European actors
StageLevelPart ofMaterialsDocumented European actorsState
Photon sourcesSubsystemPhotonicAegiq; APE; Covesion; Quandela; Sparrow QuantumDocumented in these sources
Parametric photon-pair sourcesComponentPhoton sourcesPotassium titanyl phosphate (KTP)CovesionDocumented in these sources
Quantum-dot single-photon sourcesComponentPhoton sourcesAegiq; Quandela; Sparrow QuantumDocumented in these sources
Multiplexing switch networksComponentPhoton sourcesEvidence gap in these sources Evidence gap in these sources, not a finding of dependency.
Integrated photonic circuitsSubsystemPhotonicExail; FEMTOprint; LIGENTEC; LioniX International; QuiX QuantumDocumented in these sources
Waveguide material platformsComponentIntegrated photonic circuitsLithium niobate (critical raw material); Silicon (critical raw material); Glass for laser-written waveguidesFEMTOprint; LIGENTEC; LioniX InternationalDocumented in these sources
Interferometers, phase shifters and couplersComponentIntegrated photonic circuitsQuiX QuantumDocumented in these sources
Electro-optic switches and modulatorsComponentIntegrated photonic circuitsExailDocumented in these sources
Single-photon detectorsSubsystemPhotonicAUREA Technology; ID Quantique; LASER COMPONENTS; Micro Photon Devices; PicoQuant; Pixel Photonics; qutools; Single Quantum; Swabian InstrumentsDocumented in these sources
Superconducting nanowire detectorsComponentSingle-photon detectorsID Quantique; Pixel Photonics; Single QuantumDocumented in these sources
Transition-edge sensorsComponentSingle-photon detectorsEvidence gap in these sources Evidence gap in these sources, not a finding of dependency.
Avalanche photodiodesComponentSingle-photon detectorsSilicon (critical raw material); Indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) (critical raw material)AUREA Technology; ID Quantique; LASER COMPONENTS; Micro Photon Devices; PicoQuantDocumented in these sources
Detector cryostatComponentSingle-photon detectorsEvidence gap in these sources Evidence gap in these sources, not a finding of dependency.

Parts tree of Photonic · Suppliers of Photonic in the supplier directory

Supply-chain parts and critical raw materials

From the parts tree: a reference structure of what each technology needs, down to materials, compiled from public review articles and EU law. It is not a supplier assessment.

Critical raw materials as listed in Annex II of the Critical Raw Materials Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1252).

Actors by role

Organisations with a documented relationship to this technology: a product line on the company’s own product page, the host or programme the infrastructure catalogue names for a facility, or the operator of an access route. Each row names its source and the date it was read. Roles are never inferred from taking part in the same project or patent.

Roles and their documented actors
RoleActorsStateWhere
Manufacturer or supplier of a part19Documented in these sources19 organisations in the table below.
Host, operator or access provider6Documented in these sources6 organisations in the table below.
Funder or programme4Documented in these sources4 organisations in the table below.
Researcher or developer34Documented in these sourcesOrganisations confirmed under this technology by the classification; listed in “Organisations and companies” below. Participants in EU-funded projects are counted per pillar in technology intelligence.
User0No evidence found in these sourcesThese sources record no user of this technology.
Documented actors of Photonic qubits by role
OrganisationRoleCountryRelationshipStagesSource and date read
AegiqManufacturer or supplier of a partGBQuantum light sources (SPS1550, EPS1550) (quantum-dot single-photon and entangled-photon sources)Quantum-dot single-photon sourcesSource (read 2026-10-26)
APEManufacturer or supplier of a partDEpicoEmerald FT (tunable picosecond excitation laser for quantum-dot single-photon and entangled-photon generation)Photon sourcesSource (read 2026-10-26)
AUREA TechnologyManufacturer or supplier of a partFRNIR Single Photon Detector (near-infrared single-photon detector modules for quantum communication)Avalanche photodiodesSource (read 2026-10-26)
AUREA TechnologyManufacturer or supplier of a partFRSPD_OEM_NIR, SPD_SLIM_NIR and GIGAXEA (InGaAs/InP single-photon detectors for QKD and quantum networks)Single-photon detectors; Avalanche photodiodesSource (read 2026-10-30)
CovesionManufacturer or supplier of a partGBMgO:PPLN (periodically poled lithium niobate crystals and waveguides for photon-pair generation and frequency conversion)Parametric photon-pair sourcesSource (read 2026-10-26)
ExailManufacturer or supplier of a partFRLithium niobate electro-optic modulators (phase, amplitude and IQ modulators for quantum communication and atom manipulation)Electro-optic switches and modulatorsSource (read 2026-10-26)
FEMTOprintManufacturer or supplier of a partCHPhotonic connectivity (laser-written three-dimensional waveguides in glass coupling ion traps to fibres and photonic chips)Integrated photonic circuits; Waveguide material platformsSource (read 2026-10-30)
ID QuantiqueManufacturer or supplier of a partCHID Qube Series (InGaAs/InP single-photon avalanche detectors)Single-photon detectors; Avalanche photodiodesSource (read 2026-10-26)
ID QuantiqueManufacturer or supplier of a partCHID1000 Time Controller Series (time controller for single-photon detection systems)Single-photon detectorsSource (read 2026-10-26)
ID QuantiqueManufacturer or supplier of a partCHID281 SNSPD System (superconducting nanowire single-photon detector systems for quantum networks and computers)Superconducting nanowire detectorsSource (read 2026-10-26)
LASER COMPONENTSManufacturer or supplier of a partDECOUNT (silicon APD single-photon counting modules)Single-photon detectors; Avalanche photodiodesSource (read 2026-10-26)
LIGENTECManufacturer or supplier of a partCHSilicon Nitride (SiN) platform (silicon nitride photonic foundry platform for quantum technologies and photonic qubits)Waveguide material platformsSource (read 2026-10-26)
LioniX InternationalManufacturer or supplier of a partNLTriPleX (silicon nitride photonic integrated circuits for quantum photonic processors)Waveguide material platformsSource (read 2026-10-26)
Micro Photon DevicesManufacturer or supplier of a partITPDM (single-photon avalanche diode detector modules)Avalanche photodiodesSource (read 2026-10-26) Partly verified: the page does not state the quantum use.
Micro Photon DevicesManufacturer or supplier of a partITPDM-IR (InGaAs/InP single-photon avalanche diode module for 900 to 1700 nm)Single-photon detectors; Avalanche photodiodesSource (read 2026-10-30) Partly verified: the page does not state the quantum use.
PicoQuantManufacturer or supplier of a partDEHydraHarp 500 and MultiHarp (time tagging and TCSPC electronics for single-photon detectors)Single-photon detectorsSource (read 2026-10-26)
PicoQuantManufacturer or supplier of a partDEPDM Series (SPAD single-photon detector modules for quantum optics and quantum communication)Avalanche photodiodesSource (read 2026-10-26)
Pixel PhotonicsManufacturer or supplier of a partDEDena (waveguide-integrated SNSPD systems for quantum computing and quantum communication)Superconducting nanowire detectorsSource (read 2026-10-26)
QuandelaManufacturer or supplier of a partFRPrometheus (standalone quantum-dot single-photon source, built to order)Quantum-dot single-photon sourcesSource (read 2026-10-30)
QuiX QuantumManufacturer or supplier of a partNLQuantum Photonic Processor (programmable integrated photonic processors)Integrated photonic circuits; Interferometers, phase shifters and couplersSource (read 2026-10-26)
qutoolsManufacturer or supplier of a partDEquTAG (time-to-digital converter for time-correlated single-photon counting)Single-photon detectorsSource (read 2026-10-26)
Single QuantumManufacturer or supplier of a partNLSingle Quantum Eos (compact superconducting nanowire single-photon detector (SNSPD) systems)Superconducting nanowire detectorsSource (read 2026-10-26)
Sparrow QuantumManufacturer or supplier of a partDKSparrow Core (deterministic quantum-dot single-photon source chip)Quantum-dot single-photon sourcesSource (read 2026-10-26)
Swabian InstrumentsManufacturer or supplier of a partDETime Tagger (time taggers for single-photon counting with SNSPDs and SPADs)Single-photon detectorsSource (read 2026-10-26)
CEAHost, operator or access providerFRHosts LucySource (read 2026-10-19)
Coordinated by Universiteit Twente; 29 participantsHost, operator or access providerEUHosts P4QSource (read 2026-10-21)
Coordinated by VTT; 21 partners from 9 European countriesHost, operator or access providerEUHosts Qu-PilotSource (read 2026-10-19)
EuroHPC Joint UndertakingHost, operator or access providerAccess route to Lucy: EuroHPC JU quantum access in pilot modeSource
GENCI with CEA (TGCC)Host, operator or access providerAccess route to France Hybrid HPC Quantum Initiative (HQI) platform: GENCI eDARI requests for French quantum resourcesSource
TGCC (CEA), with GENCIHost, operator or access providerFRHosts France Hybrid HPC Quantum Initiative (HQI) platformSource (read 2026-10-21)
Chips JU pilot linesFunder or programmeProgramme of P4QSource (read 2026-10-21)
EuroHPC JUFunder or programmeProgramme of LucySource (read 2026-10-19)
National programme or platformFunder or programmeProgramme of France Hybrid HPC Quantum Initiative (HQI) platformSource (read 2026-10-21)
Qu-Test and Qu-PilotFunder or programmeProgramme of Qu-PilotSource (read 2026-10-19)

Supplier capability directory

Organisations and companies

34 confirmed items. Including suggestions by rules or AI, not yet reviewed and not listed here: 45.

  1. Lunds Universitet Organisation
  2. Single Quantum BV Organisation Company brief for investors: Single Quantum BV
  3. Universita degli Studi di Firenze Organisation
  4. Johannes Gutenberg-Universitat Mainz Organisation
  5. Politecnico di Milano Organisation

See all 34: Organisations and companies · Companies of Photonic qubits in the investor screener

Facilities and access

Facilities of this technology in the infrastructure catalogue, the furthest milestone the deployment tracker evidences for each, and the current access routes that open them.

Documented in these sources: 4 facilities.

Facilities of Photonic qubits, their deployment milestone and access routes
FacilityKindCountryHostStatusFurthest evidenced milestoneAccess routes
LucyQuantum computerFranceCEAInaugurated, per the EuroHPC JUAccepting access applicationsEuroHPC JU quantum access in pilot mode
Qu-PilotPilot line networkEU-wide or cross-borderCoordinated by VTT; 21 partners from 9 European countriesProject period ended, per the sourceAccepting access applicationsNo current access route recorded
P4QPilot line networkEU-wide or cross-borderCoordinated by Universiteit Twente; 29 participantsProjectFunded or agreement signedNo current access route recorded
France Hybrid HPC Quantum Initiative (HQI) platformQuantum computing user platformFranceTGCC (CEA), with GENCIIn operation, per the sourceAccepting access applicationsGENCI eDARI requests for French quantum resources

Infrastructure catalogue · Deployment tracker · How to get access

Infrastructure and deployment status

8 confirmed items.

  1. France Hybrid HPC Quantum Initiative (HQI) platform Infrastructure catalogue; France; In operation, per the source
  2. Lucy Infrastructure catalogue; France; Inaugurated, per the EuroHPC JU
  3. P4Q Infrastructure catalogue; EU-wide or cross-border; Project
  4. Qu-Pilot Infrastructure catalogue; EU-wide or cross-border; Project period ended, per the source
  5. HQI (France Hybrid HPC Quantum Initiative) Deployment tracker; furthest evidenced milestone: Accepting access applications; technical status: Programme or network, not a single machine (as of 28 October 2026)

See all 8: Infrastructure and deployment status · Catalogue entries with this technology

Funding

Upcoming work-programme topics in this technology (the EU programme pipeline) and the funding instruments whose stated quantum relevance names it. The awards of its EU-funded projects and the announced funding rounds follow below.

Upcoming topics in the programme pipeline

No evidence found in these sources. No upcoming topic of the pipeline (read 2026-11-01) names this technology.

Pipeline topics of Photonic qubits

Funding instruments

Funding instruments that name Photonic qubits
InstrumentProgrammeStated quantum relevanceWhy it is shown
EIC AcceleratorHorizon Europe: European Innovation CouncilThe EIC Work Programme 2026 states that the Accelerator Open call remains available to start-ups and SMEs, including for quantum technologies, with specific safeguards on investments in quantum.Names its pillar, Quantum computing and simulation
EIC STEP Scale UpHorizon Europe: European Innovation Council, Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP)Quantum technologies are among the digital and deep-tech priority areas, and the EIC Work Programme 2026 says support for quantum start-ups will be pursued in particular through this call.Names its pillar, Quantum computing and simulation
EuroHPC JU quantum technology calls (Quantum Flagship)Horizon Europe: Quantum Flagship, implemented by the EuroHPC JUSince Council Regulation (EU) 2026/150 entered into force on 20 January 2026, the JU implements the Union's quantum technology agenda, including the Quantum Flagship funded through Horizon Europe, and its 2026 calls cover quantum computing platforms, QKD, testing infrastructure, pilot lines, sensing, machine learning and standards.Names its pillar, Quantum computing and simulation
Chips JU quantum actions (Chips for Europe Initiative)Chips for Europe Initiative: Horizon Europe and Digital Europe ProgrammeThe Chips for Europe Initiative includes dedicated quantum actions: building capacity for quantum chips, design libraries, dedicated pilots and testing facilities, from superconducting circuits to photonic, neutral-atom and ion-trap chips.Names this technology
QuantERA joint transnational callsQuantERA: network of national research funders with European Commission co-fundingQuantERA is a network of research funders for quantum technologies, and Call 2025 covered quantum phenomena and resources and applied quantum science across communication, computing, simulation, sensing and metrology.Names its pillar, Quantum computing and simulation

6 more instruments are open to any field of research and are not listed here.

Funding instruments registry

EU and national projects

26 confirmed items. Including suggestions by rules or AI, not yet reviewed and not listed here: 35.

Awards of the confirmed projects: EU programmes, one line per measure and currency
MeasureTotalProjects with an amountProjects without one
EU contribution (maximum grant agreed)EUR 33,336,374.37110
Total cost (includes the award)EUR 29,476,600.0590
Awards of the confirmed projects: National programmes, one line per measure and currency
MeasureTotalProjects with an amountProjects without one
award value (Gateway to Research)GBP 5,727,03960
NWO award amountEUR 788,65620
award value (Gateway to Research)001
current total commitment002
funded amount004

Each project counts once. A total adds the amount each source states for its projects within one measure and one currency only: EU contributions, national awards and other measures are never added together. Total cost includes the award and is shown separately. A country filter keeps whole projects with a participant in the country, so its total is not the country's share. Programme envelopes, partner shares, co-funding and payments are separate layers and are never added to awards; payments are not published by the sources used. Outputs are linked only through an explicit project or grant identifier or reviewed documentary evidence, never by name alone; only a reviewed document can show a demonstrated contribution. CORDIS and Funding & Tenders amounts are one measure, the EU contribution (maximum grant agreed in the grant agreement, not payments). Country codes EL and UK are read as GR (Greece) and GB (United Kingdom). National and regional rows whose title names no quantum technology are left out unless asked for. EU and national totals are shown apart and never added.

  1. EPIQUE: European Photonic Quantum Computer CORDIS; EU contribution (maximum grant agreed) EUR 10,340,741.50
  2. PHOTONIQC: A Photonic Quantum Computer CORDIS; EU contribution (maximum grant agreed) EUR 4,650,022.80
  3. QCEED: Quantum Dot coupling engineering (and dynamic spin decoupling/deep nuclei cooling): 2-dimensional cluster state generation for quantum information processing CORDIS; EU contribution (maximum grant agreed) EUR 3,013,180
  4. QU-BOSS: QUantum advantage via non-linear BOSon Sampling CORDIS; EU contribution (maximum grant agreed) EUR 2,875,000
  5. ClusterQ: Scalable quantum computing with continuous variable cluster states CORDIS; EU contribution (maximum grant agreed) EUR 2,792,416

See all 26: EU and national projects

Funding rounds

2 confirmed items.

  1. Quandela: Equity round (no series named), 2023-11-07 As announced: at least EUR 50,000,000
  2. Quandela: Public equity investment (EIC STEP Scale Up), 2025-11-19 As announced: Undisclosed

Funding rounds tracker of the investor view

Patents and publications

Patent counts come from EPO Open Patent Services in technology intelligence, by CPC group, and per EPO quantum concept in the technology intelligence reports; publications by OpenAlex topic. The patent series of this node and its documents follow below.

Documented in these sources: 2 indicator pages of this technology.

Patent landscape of Quantum computing and simulation in technology intelligence · Research output of Photonic qubits in the platform comparison · All technology intelligence reports

Patents

No patent series for this node. Its CPC groups (G06N 10/40) are counted in the series of Quantum computing and simulation, together with other families.

Patent landscape of the pillar Quantum computing and simulation in technology intelligence

Standards

Standards, specifications, committees and roadmaps of the standards tracker in the scope of this technology, each with its body and status.

Documented in these sources: 13 tracked items.

Standards tracker items in the scope of Photonic qubits
IdentifierTitleKindStatus
CEN/CLC/TR 18202:2025Layer model of Quantum ComputingTechnical reportPublished
EAS 18433:2026Quantum Computing - High-Level Programming LanguageSpecificationPublished
EAS 18434:2026Quantum Computing - Roadmap for Post-Processing Software in SpaceSpecificationPublished
EAS 18435-1:2026Quantum Computing - Hardware Abstraction Layer - Part 1: Descriptions and functional requirementsSpecificationPublished
prEN 18470 (WI JT022006)Quantum technologies - quantum computing - Hybridization of High-Performance Computing and Quantum ComputingWork item or projectIn development
prCEN/CLC/TR 18437 (WI JT022005)Performance benchmarks of quantum computing applicationsWork item or projectIn development
prCEN/CLC/TS 18438-1 (WI JT022007)Quantum Technologies - Quantum Computing - Cryogenic Solid State Gate-Based Quantum Computing - Part 1: Functional RequirementsWork item or projectIn development
ISO/IEC 4879:2024Information technology — Quantum computing — VocabularyStandardPublished
IEEE P7131Standard for Quantum Computing Performance Metrics & Performance BenchmarkingWork item or projectWithdrawn
IEEE P3155Standard for Programmable Quantum SimulatorWork item or projectWithdrawn
IEEE P3120Standard for Quantum Computing ArchitectureWork item or projectWithdrawn
IEEE P3185Standard for Hybrid Quantum-Classical ComputingWork item or projectWithdrawn
IEEE P3329Standard for Quantum Computing Energy EfficiencyWork item or projectIn development

9 tracked items are about quantum technologies in general.

Standards tracker, filtered to this scope

Policy measures

Actions of the Quantum Europe Strategy (COM(2025) 363) that name this technology or its pillar, or that link one of its facilities, with their status in the strategy tracker.

Documented in these sources: 6 actions.

Strategy actions about Photonic qubits
ActionStatusTargetWhy it is shownWhere in the strategy
Publish an EU Quantum Computing and Simulation RoadmapAnnounced2026Names its pillar, Quantum computing and simulationSection 2.2.1, text and action list (p. 7); Appendix, Area 2 (p. 23)
Expand the EuroHPC quantum computersIn progress (evidence)2026 onwardsNames its pillar, Quantum computing and simulationSection 2.2.1, action list (p. 7); Appendix, Area 2 (p. 23)
Set up a monitoring framework for quantum computingAnnounced2026Names its pillar, Quantum computing and simulationSection 2.2.1, action list (p. 7); Appendix, Area 2 (p. 23)
About 100 error-corrected qubits per systemAnnouncedBy 2030Names its pillar, Quantum computing and simulationSection 2.2.1, text after Table 1 (p. 6)
Thousands of error-corrected qubits per platformAnnouncedBy 2035Names its pillar, Quantum computing and simulationSection 2.2.1, text after Table 1 (p. 6)
Establish six quantum pilot lines under the Chips Joint UndertakingDelivered (evidence)2025Links a facility of this technologySection 2.3.1 (p. 12) and action list (p. 15); Appendix, Area 3 (p. 23)

Strategy implementation tracker

Evidence gaps

Stages of the value chain for which these sources link no documented European actor. Evidence gap in these sources, not a finding of dependency. A company may well supply the stage without a product page the directory has read; a missing record is never proof of a strategic dependency.

Evidence gap in these sources: 3 stages. Evidence gap in these sources, not a finding of dependency.

Evidence gaps of Photonic qubits in these sources
StageLevelPart ofPlatformReading
Multiplexing switch networksComponentPhoton sourcesPhotonicEvidence gap in these sources, not a finding of dependency.
Transition-edge sensorsComponentSingle-photon detectorsPhotonicEvidence gap in these sources, not a finding of dependency.
Detector cryostatComponentSingle-photon detectorsPhotonicEvidence gap in these sources, not a finding of dependency.

Know a European supplier for one of these stages? Tell the editors

Quantum software

1 confirmed item.

  1. Perceval Software

News and events

1 confirmed item.

  1. QuiX Quantum tritt dem QuantumBW-Netzwerk bei News

JRC and EU analysis

Reports and pages of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC). Identifiers are those of the JRC Publications Repository; the portal does not reproduce their data.

Further reading

  • Understanding Quantum Technologies 2025 (Olivier Ezratty, 8th edition, version 8.1 of 30 October 2025, arXiv:2111.15352 (v6), doi:10.48550/arXiv.2111.15352, CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)See Part 2: Computing hardware; Part 3: Computing software
  • Understanding Quantum Technologies 2026 (Olivier Ezratty, 9th edition, version 9.0 of 17 October 2026 (latest edition))See Part 2: Computing hardware; Part 3: Computing software

Olivier Ezratty, Understanding Quantum Technologies (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). Links only; no text of the book is reproduced on this portal.